Water filters are generally divided into two classes: point-of-entry water filters and point-of-use water filters. Point-of-entry water filters can be installed at a water line that supplies water to a building or residence in order to filter water entering the building or residence. Conversely, point-of-use water filters can be installed at a kitchen sink or within a refrigerator appliance in order to filter water entering such devices. In order to filter water, water filters are generally provided with a filtering media, such as a block of activated carbon or a pleated material.
In water filters with activated carbon filtering media, the activated carbon has pores that permit a flow of water through the block. By passing through the pores, contaminants such as sand, rust, and cysts within the flow of water can be mechanically filtered out of the water. Similarly, volatile organic compounds such as chloroform, lindane, and atrazine can be adsorbed into pore surfaces as water moves through the carbon block. In water filters with pleated filtering media, the water filter's filtering media generally removes contaminants such as sediment and other particles as water passes through pores in the filtering media. In such a manner, the water filter can remove such contaminants from water prior to delivering such water to a user.
Regardless of the type of filtering media, the filtering capacity of the filtering media generally decreases over time. For example, the filtering media's pores can become clogged or pore surfaces become saturated with contaminates. To insure that the filtering media has not exceeded its filtering capacity, the filtering media is preferably replaced or serviced at regular intervals regardless of its current performance. However, changing the filtering media can be a messy and time consuming task. For example, when the filtering media is removed, the water filter is generally filled with water, and such water can spill if the water filter is tipped or tilted during removal. Such spills can be time consuming and inconvenient to clean. Thus, certain consumers only replace the water filter's filtering media after it has become blocked, e.g., by sediment accumulation around and within the filtering media.
Accordingly, a water filter assembly with features for hindering spilling of water would be useful. In particular, a water filter assembly with features for hindering spilling of water during replacement of a filtering media of the water filter assembly would be useful.